Economic Analysis of Influenza Vaccination and Treatment
Authors: Martin I. Meltzer, Carolyn B. Bridges
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2003)

Letters1 April 2003Economic Analysis of Influenza Vaccination and TreatmentMartin I. Meltzer, PhD and Carolyn B. Bridges, MDMartin I. Meltzer, PhDCenters for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta, GA 30333 (Meltzer, Bridges)Search for more papers by this author and Carolyn B. Bridges, MDCenters for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta, GA 30333 (Meltzer, Bridges)Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-138-7-200304010-00024 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Lee and colleagues (1) concluded that routine influenza immunization of healthy working adults would be cost saving. However, they made two very questionable assumptions in their base case. They assumed an annual probability of 15% for influenza-related symptomatic illness among healthy adults. On the basis of seroconversion, published studies (24) have measured adult influenza infection rates ranging from 1.5% to 23.3% (mean, 13%). All influenza infections, however, do not result in symptomatic illness, and it is illness that actually incurs costs. In published studies, approximately 30% to 65% of infections (average, 51%) result in illnesses. Thus, actual ...References1. Lee PY, Matchar DB, Clements DA, Huber J, Hamilton JD, Peterson ED. Economic analysis of influenza vaccination and antiviral treatment for healthy working adults. Ann Intern Med. 2002;137:225-31. [PMID: 12186512] LinkGoogle Scholar2. Kumpulainen V, Mkel M. Influenza vaccination among healthy employees: a cost–benefit analysis. Scand J Infect Dis. 1997;29:181-5. [PMID: 9181656] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar3. Bridges CB, Thompson WW, Meltzer MI, Reeve GR, Talamonti WJ, Cox NJ, et al. . Effectiveness and cost–benefit of influenza vaccination of healthy working adults: a randomized, controlled trial. JAMA. 2000;284:1655-63. [PMID: 11015795] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar4. Keitel WA, Cate TR, Couch RB, Huggins LL, Hess KR. Efficacy of repeated annual immunization with inactivated influenza virus vaccines over a five year period. Vaccine. 1997;15:1114-22. [PMID: 9269055] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar5. Nichol KL, Lind A, Margolis KL, Murdoch M, McFadden R, Hauge M, et al. . The effectiveness of vaccination against influenza in healthy, working adults. N Engl J Med. 1995;333:889-93. [PMID: 7666874] CrossrefMedlineGoogle Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAffiliations: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Atlanta, GA 30333 (Meltzer, Bridges) PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoEconomic Analysis of Influenza Vaccination and Antiviral Treatment for Healthy Working Adults Patrick Y. Lee , David B. Matchar , Dennis A. Clements , Joel Huber , John D. Hamilton , and Eric D. Peterson Economic Analysis of Influenza Vaccination and Treatment Patrick Y. Lee and Eric D. Peterson Economic Analysis of Influenza Vaccination and Treatment Tom Jefferson and Vittorio Demicheli Economic Analysis of Influenza Vaccination and Treatment Henry Brodkin Economic Analysis of Influenza Vaccination and Treatment Afschin Gandjour Metrics Cited ByEpidemiological and economic impact of pandemic influenza in Chicago: Priorities for vaccine interventionsAn Influenza HA and M2e Based Vaccine Delivered by a Novel Attenuated Salmonella Mutant Protects Mice against Homologous H1N1 InfectionMicroneedle delivery of an M2e-TLR5 ligand fusion protein to skin confers broadly cross-protective influenza immunityAdapting global influenza management strategies to address emerging virusesEnhanced Influenza Virus-Like Particle Vaccines Containing the Extracellular Domain of Matrix Protein 2 and a Toll-Like Receptor LigandInfluenza Exerts Continued Pressure in an Era of Modern Medicine 1 April 2003Volume 138, Issue 7Page: 608KeywordsHealth economicsMotivationYoung adults ePublished: 1 April 2003 Issue Published: 1 April 2003 CopyrightCopyright © 2003 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF DownloadLoading ...